Prison officials mulling moving Darshan to different jail

BENGALURU, BELAGAVI: After the controversy over actor Darshan, facing trial in the Renukaswamy murder case, was photographed enjoying cigarette and coffee inside the Parappana Agrahara central jail along with some history-sheeters, the Prisons Deparment may be contemplating shifting him to some other jail in the state.

On Monday DGP-Prisons Malini Parthasarathy held discussions with other officers about the possibility of shifting Darshan to Hindalga jail in Belagavi or some other jail. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too had posted on X stating that he has instructed DG&IGP Alok Mohan to shift Darshan and the others to different jails and to submit a report after visiting the Parappana Agrahara prison.

A photograph of jailed actor Darshan enjoying coffee and cigarette went viral on social media.

Official sources at the pre-Independence Hindalga jail told Public TV if Darshan is shifted there, it would be the first time an actor would be house in that prison. He also said there are 33 ‘Andheri’ (dark) cells of which 18 are occupied and arrangements have been made to lodge Darshan in one of the cells if he is shifted to Hindalga.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that the police had approached the court twice to shift history-sheeter Wilson Garden Naga out of Bengaluru, but the court had rejected the appeals on the ground that the Prisons Department should make the appeal. However, the deparment made no such move.

After the photograph with Darshan was leaked, Naga is learnt to have thrashed at least 15 jail inmates with a belt demanding to know who had leaked it.